Athletic trainers have proper qualifications

As president of the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society, I represent nearly 3,000 certified athletic trainers and athletic training students in Pennsylvania. This is the largest number of athletic trainers of any state in the nation. Further, Pennsylvania boasts one of the highest numbers of accredited athletic training education programs — 20 — in the nation. Paul Carpenter's column is a gross misrepresentation of athletic trainers. I found it to be irresponsible and unfounded, and the reporting to be most disturbing, particularly to say "trainers are nothing but flunkies for coaches, some of whom are willing to do anything to win."

I grew up in Easton and had great respect for reporting done by The Morning Call. I was surprised, and quite frankly a bit embarrassed, that this article was published in my childhood hometown. Athletic trainers in the Lehigh Valley, in Pennsylvania and across this country deserve better. Here are some reasons why athletic trainers are not "flunkies for coaches" and are certainly appropriate health care providers under the concussion legislation.

The athletic training profession includes substantial education in prevention, evaluation and treatment of concussions. All athletic trainers are trained in management and evaluation of concussions in their entry level education. Further, they participate in required continuing education. Licensed physicians trained in evaluation and management of concussions, athletic trainers and neuropsychologists are the experts in concussion management and have been at the forefront of research and clinical practice on concussions for some time.

Athletic trainers have a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited institution; however, more than 70 percent of nationally certified athletic trainers have master's or doctoral degrees. The education of athletic trainers is steeped heavily in the basic and applied sciences, such as chemistry, physics, biology, physiology, anatomy, psychology and sociology. There also is a strong clinical internship requirement for all athletic training students.

Finally, concussions are an extremely complex injury with very variable symptoms that are more easily determined by knowing the student-athlete. Athletic trainers are the health care professionals on-site and also intimately involved with baseline assessments with student-athletes that consist of the use of a symptoms checklist, neuropsychological testing, and standardized cognitive and balance assessments.

Athletic trainers must be credentialed through the state and work under the direction of physicians through direct communications and/or a written protocol. Athletic trainers are employed by school districts across the commonwealth. They are the allied health care providers on-site daily to provide care to interscholastic athletes with concussions, and they regularly interact with team physicians.

Athletic trainers are recognized in the Medical Practice Act of 1985, which is the law that relates to practicing medicine in Pennsylvania. The state Board of Medicine and the state Board of Osteopathic Medicine further define the certification and practice standards of athletic trainers. In Pennsylvania, athletic trainers are bound to provide services in compliance with state law and the rules and regulations set forth by the two boards. Athletic trainers can provide only athletic training services, including concussion care, under the direction of a licensed physician.

Therefore, for an athletic trainer to provide athletic training services to anyone, a written protocol must be in place with the physician. The written protocol and standing written prescription define how communication will occur with the physician, establish standard operating procedures, and designate to which individuals the athletic trainer can provide athletic training services.

Gregory K. Janik, president of Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society, is associate clinical professor for the athletic training education program and head athletic trainer at King's College, Wilkes-Barre.